Nepalese Democratic Youth Council in USA (NDYCUSA)
America-Nepal Friendship Society, Inc. (ANFS)
Alliance for Democracy & Human Rights in Nepal (ADHRN), USA

Cordially Invite You to

"Where is Nepal Heading?"
Looking Through the Lenses of a Journalist

A Conversation with

Mr. Kunda Dixit
Founding Editor, Nepali Times

Kunda Dixit is the founding editor of the Kathmandu-based English-language weekly Nepali Times. He is also co-publisher of the newly re-launched Himal Southasian magazine. Mr. Dixit previously worked as news reporter for the BBC at UN headquarters in New York, as Asia-Pacific director of Inter-Press Service and as director of Panos Institute South Asia.

Venue:
Delhi Palace
37-33 74th Street
Jackson Height, Queens

Date & Time:
Saturday, July 23rd, 2005 from 1:30 PM--4:00 PM
(Refreshments will be served from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM and program starts at 2 PM sharp)

Admission fee: $7

If you have any questions, please get in touch with
Anand Bist: 917-4427405
Sanjaya Parajuli: 917-902-2667
Tara Niraula: 212-491-0378

- http://samudaya.org/articles/archives/2005/07/conversation_wi.php#comments

As a competent journalist, Kunda Dixit presented a very objective report on the situation in Nepal as well as a good journalist's support for basic tenets of democracy. I appreciate this very much.

Kunda-jee appeared to be resisting to share his PERSONAL political views particularly during Q&A time. If it is indeed so, it is his choice and I am sure that should be respected.

So the following little comments are not really an attempt to drag him into political discussion. Just sharing my thoughts and speculation on some of his words. I would like to pick three points.

1. Skepticism regarding political parties-Maoist reconciliation [on a democratic republic set up]

Kunda-jee at one point expressed his skepticism about political parties-Maoists reconciliation to fight the monarch. He appears to be emphasizing that it might give the monarch excuses to suppress the political parties more. I do not know if this is representing his [personal] point of view or an speculation regarding political parties' perception, however, I think this skepticism is an absurd one.

Political parties have already reduced to "beggars", they don't have anything to lose. I don't think political parties are scared of being officially banned by the King.

Kunda-jee is of the opinion that political parties are hopeful for a reconciliation with the King [ presumably at pre-2003 October status quo]. Kunda-jee is probably assuming that the growing pro-republican voice within the political parties and among people will somehow be contained by the current monarchist leadership when such reconciliation occurs.

I think Kunda-jee is underestimating the strength of republican voices. Kunda-jee actually picked the data from Asia Foundation Survey conducted before Feb 1 to support his skepticism. That will be my second point.

2. I have elsewhere debated about the above mentioned poll and pointed out the questionability of it's official conclusion regarding negligible popular support to republicanism. I will like to bring that. Just two quick notes for now.

(a) The question asked in the poll on which the damn conclusion is based was glaringly "leading" one that invites a bias in favor of the constitutional monarchy (refer Q. 26 in the the questionnaire. Full report here - http://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/Nepal-ContemporarySituation.pdf )

(b) The wide scale acceptance of the conclusion that there is no popular support for republicanism appears to have influenced by scientifically erroneous summary statement published in Nepali Times. Read the following line from Sharma and Sen's report in Nepali Times, #239 - http://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/Nepal-ContemporarySituation.pdf

"The people overwhelmingly reject republicanism. ."

In a scientific method, an answer to the question you did not ask is not valid. Q 26 is not a scientifically accurate question to obtain an absolutely conclusive answer like the one above.

I would like it to be clear that by pointing to these flaws, I am only pointing to some limitation of the survey. Nothing more, nothing less. However, if you compare a demographically limited but very clear poll conducted several months before (which by the way Kunda-jee mentioned during the Q&A time when he said 90% of the students are anti-monarchy), the results are indeed conflicting. I am referring to the poll called "Student Referendum" conducted at around May 2004. More than 30,000 students (note that the sample size of the Asia Foundation Survey was 3000 !) from more than 20 campuses throughout the country took part in the referendum and the result was absolutely opposite to what Sharma and Sen reached to.

"The student overwhelmingly rejected monarchy"

For references:
- http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=11526
- http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/nepaliweekly/dristi/2004/may/may18/local.htm

The situation of pro-republic voice after Feb 1 is no difficult job to speculate. That brings me to the third point I want to come to.

3. Kunda-jee has claimed the following:

"Most intellectuals and scholars seem to like the idea of the King and the political parties (two constitutional forces) reconciling to confront the Maoists (the unconstitutional force)."

I would like to check the accuracy of this loaded claim one more time with Kunda-jee before I ask more questions. So that for next time.


Deepak Khadka
NJ, USA

Nepe,

Well, I recall you said sometime back that you are a biology scientist. What are your conclusions regarding this tyrannical suppression of POT? My party argues that recreational POT is not the only POT but there are a lot of other variants which, if liberated out of this blatant racial prejudice, are fully capable of solving most of the problems that the poorer world faces. POT alone can solve most of the problems facing our stratified world. Its a long argument, however, to blow an age-old concept off needs a detailed workout too, anyway for your reading pleasure

- http://sajha.com/sajha/html/openThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=22921

I hope you are certainly one of those without a tainted eyes. Our party needs support from impartial people like yourself for this new revolution

Lets roll...

Shree5,

Your majesty, the way your majesty is flooding every Sajha thread with the POT message, this humble servant of yours is forced to believe that your majesty is really under the influence of the recreational POT. Not a smart way of lobbying for legalizing the non-recreational POT, your majesty.

The concern is the possible abuse through technical and legal loopholes. Clearly, a vigorous and more debate/discussion rather than a hasty decision is desirable.

And I am glad to see that your majesty is into party politics. I have been urging His majesty the King Gyanendra either to give up political ambition altogether or dare to abdicate and participate in competitive party politics along with other political parties, all this time.

Only a coward needs above-the-law raj-gaddi to fulfill his political ambition, no ?

Correcting the link in the following lines in the earlier message:

(b) The wide scale acceptance of the conclusion that there is no popular support for republicanism appears to have influenced by scientifically erroneous summary statement published in Nepali Times. Read the following line from Sharma and Sen's report in Nepali Times, #239 - http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue239/headline.htm

"The people overwhelmingly reject republicanism. ."

Nepe ji,

It is our belief that Gyanendra and alikes are the most prolific drug abusers. This is because they are exploiting this notion of so-called "drugs" to bar ppl from their natural rights. This swine called Gyanendra was even making money out of it.

The view of our party is that we oppose drug abuse. But the case with pot is that not all plants of pot are rich in THC compound, there are a lot of other variants which dont have THC and they can be excellent sources of food grains, cellulose fiber, fuel, carbon-arrest, etc etc. THC is akin to melanin in we humans which gives us skin color. Both are products of natural evolution to counteract UV-radiation in their respective species. Banning all pot citing THC is purely racial discrimination.

How many ppl in the third world are getting balanced diets? More than 1/3 of the world's population still depends on sub-grade crops like millet, corn etc as their staple diets; those crops are not that productive as pot and they require fertilizers,insecticides etc which again provides a means of control by these developed nations upon them in terms of technology, seeds and fertilizers, farming equipment and so on. Our point is, if you dont attack a country which allows pot cultivation (our fear is USA does that) to solve its problems, because pot can grow quite efficiently and with a better yield, then their problems will be immediately solved. For elaborated discussions, may I have the chance to draw your attention to the fact-file our leader has compiled

- http://sajha.com/sajha/html/openThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=22921

Lets keep rolling...

Nepe,
It is easy to correct the mistakes done due to lack of knowledge. but it is hard to correct the others.

Pheri

san_diego_nepali,

You were saying in your first posting that you want to read news strictly related to the title, not the unrelated 'crap'.

Now, you seems you are more interested to talk about the 'crap' and not about the original news.

Or am I misunderstanding ?

Be forewarned, 'crap' in Sajha is very addictive.

Nepe,
It is very difficult to deal with people who seem to have (convoluted) knowledge but ooops.... ,. It is not new that people get dragged on the pathetic chaos while searching THE prismatic analysis. BTW, I am more intersted to know if Mr. Dixit is coming to southern california. But the journalist's fight club has more "Blink Blink" here. I certainly wasted my GAS and mileage.

I would rather filter the "Craps" - if SUBJECT means anything.

Pheri

OK we have a KUnda in NY
So What? Is this a headline news?

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA OF IMPROVEMENT AMONG US, NEPALIES, IS THAT WE DONT KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND URGENT. WE MEDDLE IN THE PHENOMENON AND LOOSE OUT THE ESSENCE.

I dont know what contribution a Kunda has done or achieved, so that we celebrate his arrival in NY??

san_diego_nepali,

A shared knowledge, however convoluted, is much easier to deal with than an undisclosed knowledge, however pure the later is.

Re listening to knowledgeable people, frankly, at this juncture, nobody is going to tell you things that you have not heard already, assuming you've been scanning Nepali cyberland once in a while.

I think people go to listen to not for knowledge but for information about where does the speaker stand at this point. It will turn out some people are quick in adaptation, others are slow. फरक त्यत्ति हो ।

It's quite entertaining to see that one columnist of Kunda's paper calls REPUBLICANISM a pie in the sky when another columinist from the same paper says that student haru ta thindai thiye aba Kathmandu's chic socialites too are joining the REPUBLICAN BANDWAGON.

CK Lal reports from Kathmandu that:

# The countdown for a final showdown between the palace and the people has begun

# Kathmandu's chic socialites have joined the republican bandwagon.

# Even the advocates of a ceremonial monarchy (Kanak Dixits) are now being seen as too soft.

- http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ntimes/issue258/stateofthestate.htm

God save the king
The countdown for a showdown over the monarchy has begun

CK Lal

At the citizens' rally for democracy and peace at Ratna Park on Monday, some demonstrators chanted slogans that would have been unthinkable until a few years ago. In protests the next day, supporters of Sher Bahadur Deuba used the vilest anti-monarchist language yet heard on Kathmandu's streets.

Lese majest?, a concept that places the person of the king beyond reproach and makes any attack on him a punishable act, has ceased to command respect. Could it be that the days of monarchy as we knew it are numbered?

The monarchy lost the mandate of heaven, the central doctrine of Divine Rights Theory, after the Narayanhiti Massacre on 1 June 2001. The alleged killer was declared king and spent his entire reign in a coma. People weeping inconsolably at the gates of the royal palace were in fact mourning for the loss of innocence, an end of the era when the monarch was one of the deities in their pantheon. Many Nepalis ceased paying customary homage to the king at family altars after that.

The risks of having a manipulative monarchy were proven when Sher Bahadur Deuba dissolved parliament in the dead of night four years ago without even consulting his senior cabinet colleagues. It was a coup by stealth where the avarice of a politically inept premier was exploited. No one believed elections could be held within the specified period and when they weren't, King Gyanendra sacked a prime minister who was only doing his bidding. His announcement on 4 October 2002 broke the compact King Birendra had made with his people in 1990. With the second instalment of the takeover and Deuba's second sacking on 1 February, the king became CEO, transforming himself from constitutional monarch to constructive king.

An active monarchy is judged by the results it delivers. But every premier installed by the king since 2002 has bowed out in disgrace as the insurgency escalated, the economy decelerated and Nepali society got increasingly polarised. Young people started to openly espouse the republican agenda and in campus after campus, students voted against the monarchy in referenda.

February First was the third and final stage of the creeping coup. Six months later, the king continues to hold all state power but his authority is now completely coercive. On an ideological level, a political consensus is emerging that even a constitutional monarchy may be detrimental to healthy democracy. Tulsi Giri, the resurrected political ghost from the Panchayat era, has put the debate most succinctly: it's either monarchy or democracy, the two can't go together. The Maoists have been unsuccessfully making the same point for 10 years.

Despite this, some in the international community still call for a ?unity of constitutional forces?. US Ambassador James Moriarty this week again urged reconciliation between the king and the political parties even as the royal regime dug in its heels. Former US Senator Thomas Daschle, visiting Nepal on a ?democratisation' mission, echoed the point made by his envoy. India's junior foreign minister Rao Inderjit Singh reiterated his country's Twin Pillar Doctrine.

Meanwhile, the king is pursuing his path ignoring all advice and criticism. This is what is provoking people opposed to a return to authoritarianism to resort to unprecedented anti-monarchist rhetoric. It seems the countdown for a final showdown between the palace and the people has begun. If history is any guide, the outcome of such a contest is a foregone conclusion. Sensing the turning tide, radically chic socialites have also joined the republican bandwagon. At public gatherings, advocates of even a ceremonial monarchy are now being seen as too soft.

The monarchy was at its weakest in the aftermath of the royal massacre. But the political mainstream came to its rescue. Now that the king is running the country, that is not likely to happen again. Public evaluation of his performance, rather than faith, will determine the future of the institution of monarchy. With its bleak record since October Fourth, this constructive monarchy needs all the divine blessings it can get.

Nepali Times, July 29, 2005

कुरो चल्या बेलाँ यो कुरो पनि उठाउने तलतल लाग्यो, लत जो बस्या छ ।

Ashu and at one one another Sajhaite have rejected the authenticity of Student Referendum and the fact that more than 90% students voted for what Ashu calls "a pie in the sky".

Look above, CK Lal writes,

Young people started to openly espouse the republican agenda and in campus after campus, students voted against the monarchy in referenda.

Who is right, CK Lal Dai or Ashu Bhai ?

Ashu and at one one another Sajhaite

should read as: Ashu and at least one more Sajhaite.

Nepe,

Lets aim for things which could be attained. Is republicanism really possibel? Wont it bring maoists in the power?

As I have said before too, I wanna see Nepal return into peace and stability as soon as possible.

The main thing I cannot understand is how the republicanism could be attained without disposting a king? How will the stubburn king will give away powet? He will never give away power. He needs to be removed. For this, I think the casualty figure would be very high.

I theoratically I agree with you. But I find it very hard for practical implementaion. I believe first all should work together to make polticlal parties strong. Once they are strong then next step should be for constitutional monarch finally bringing all power under elected government making a king ceremonial figure. But still accountable for all his deeds.

I believe nobody should get away with crimes. Be it King, Leaders, Maoists or ordinary people. There should be law and order.


Honestly, I beleive its better to take step by step process. I do not know much about poltical ideology. I just want peace and prosperity in Nepal.

Lets work together to bring peace in Nepal.

Peace

Highfly,

Your concern is good. But I suggest you not to confuse between 'what SHOULD be' and 'what WOULD be'. I have seen you always being confused about these two different things.

On 'what SHOULD be', you and me can discuss and reconcile. However, on 'what WOULD be' things, you and me can not discuss and reconcile.

In Nepal, time for 'what SHOULD be' has already passed. Now, nobody can control 'what WOULD be'.

It's only a matter of months or a year or two, a republic revolution is inevitable. I am not alone to say that.

The best thing we can do, actually we must do, is to, as you said, not let it be a communist republic but a democratic republic.

For that, we must encourage the political parties to bring competent people in the leadership. This should be the primary focus for pro-democracy people for now.

Nepe,

Situation seems to be very grim right now. Instead of democratic republic, if it carries on I see a long and bloddy civil war with differnt fractions. Thats my concern.

Highfly,

What civil war are you talking about ? There is already one going on. It's been ten years and has already officially killed +12,000 Nepalis.

How to end it is the question of the moment. This war is sure to continue so long as there is monarchy.

So, we have only two realistic choices:

Keep the monarchy and continue the war killing people on a daily basis
Or
Throw the monarchy once for all and end the war.

Which is less costly in terms of life and resources, you calculate.

So worrying and opposing the republicanism at this time is actually, चिन्ता गर्न पनि नछाड्ने, मान्छे मार्न पनि नछाड्ने ।

You don't wan't to do that, do you ?

पछि धेरै मान्छे पो मर्ने हुन् कि, बरू यहि अहिले चलिरहेको दरले दिनदिनै मान्छे मारेर मजाले बसम् न भन्ने आशय हो, Highfly को ?

कि माओवादीलाई राजासंग आत्मसमर्पण गर्न लगाउने उपाय छन ?

Who gives a rat's ass if KUNDA DIXIT in NY or PARAS is in RIYADH.

नेपे ज्यू,

स्वामी महाराज, मलाई पनि केही वाचौं वाचौं भन्ने मनसुबा भईकन राय अर्पण गर्दछु ।

यस्ता राजनैतिक आन्दोलन, क्रान्ति आदि को सनातन परम्परा के रहँदै आएको छ भने जसको आव्हान र मूल नारामा यी क्रीयाहरु, यज्ञ हरु सम्पन्न गरिन्छन्, पश्चातमा यीनै राजपाट को भागिदार हुन्छन् । जस्तो, २०४६ बिक्रमाब्द मा पनि नेपाली काँग्रेस नामक मठले "संबैधानिक राजतन्त्र, बहुदलीय प्रजातन्त्र " को श्लोक वाचन गरे , कम्युनिश्ट मठले आफ्नो स्पश्ट स्त्रोत देखाउन नसक्दा भए, ढुलीमुली गर्दा भए । मुख्य कुरा त्यहाँ उपरोक्त यज्ञ काँग्रेस मठले भने जस्तै गरिकन समापन हुन पुग्यो ।यद्यपि साँख्यिक रुपमा उक्त आन्दोलन पूर्व काँग्रेस मठका अनुचर हरु कम्युनिश्ट मठका अनुचर हरु भन्दा कम नै थिए र दुबै मठका अनुचर हरु पन्च अनुचर हरु भन्दा धेरै कम थिए ।तर प्रथम आम निर्वाचनमा काँग्रेसी हरु निकै भारी भए । यस्ता उदाहरण हरु विश्वका अन्य पीठ हरुमा, जस्तो पूर्वी यूरोपिय लोकहरुमा, पनि यथेश्ट द्रीश्टीगोचर हुन्छ ।

लोक तन्त्र का प्रक्रिया हरु पालन गर्दा, जस्तो निर्वाचन गर्दा, लोक को भाव - शक्ति (म्लेच्छ भासामा sentiment) वेदान्त को सैद्धान्तिक (theoretical rheotoric) अलौकिक शक्ति भन्दा धेरै प्रभावशाली हुँदो रहेछ । र त्यस प्रकारको लोक को भाव - शक्ति जुन आव्हान कर्ता को नारा, स्त्रोत सफलिभूत हुन्छ, त्यसैमा समाहित हुन्छ ।

अब स्वामी महाराज को वचनानुसार नेपालमा दैत्य गण को राजतन्त्र लाई समाधिस्थ गरेर लोक तान्त्रिक मत अनुसार देव गण को गान्धर्व राज्य स्थापना गर्ने यजस्वी योजनामा मलाई एउटा सन्देह पैदा भयो, महाराजका अनुकम्पाले यहाँ सविस्तार गर्दछु।

संबिधान सभाको चुनाब र त्यस पश्चात संबिधान निर्माण गर्ने रुद्री कार्ययोजना त मूलत: धुन्धुकारी, चण्ड, मुण्ड, प्रचण्डादि दानव गणको आव्हान होईन र? किन्चित त्यो शीघ्र नै र दानव गणले मागे जस्तै रुपमा सफलिभूत भएमा उपरोक्त दानव गणको को मायावी जालको प्रभावले सकल लोक गण नै दानव गणको चरणस्पर्श गर्न जाने ठूलो भय एकातिर छ ।

र हाल फेरि लोक गणका गान्धर्वीय मठाधिशहरु जस्तै गिरीजा महाराज, माकुने महाराज आदि लोक नजरमा पतीत छन। लोक मतानुसार त सर्व प्रथम यी मठाधिशहरु लाई अग्नि कुण्ड मा हवन नगरे सम्म केही सुधार हुने छैन। फेरि, दैत्यराज ज्ञानेन्द्र लाई हटाए पछि सिंहासनमा राज गर्न आउने कर्ता झन् उग्र, उद्दण्ड र पतीत बाहेक अरु त कोही पनि द्रीश्टीगोचर हूदैन । गिरीजा महाराज, माकुने महाराज आदि पश्चात पनि खुम बहादुर महाराज, गोविन्द महाराज , खड्क महाराज आदि जो छन्, सारा दुश्टात्मा हरु मात्रै छन्, सच्चा शिब भक्ती सन्यासी कोही पनि छेन प्रभो ।

तर हरेक गण-गणमा, मठ-मठमा, दैत्य गणमा तथा दानव गणमा समेत, तल्ला तहमा फेरि प्रतिबद्ध शिब भक्ती सन्यासी हरु यथेस्ट छन् र यस अवस्थामा हाम्रो तपस्याका प्रतापले परम भोले बाबा भगवान शिवजीले त्रि-नेत्र प्रहार गरि दिनु भयो भने पनि धेरे सच्चरित्रवाण नर नारी हरु हताहत हुन्छन् वा विचलित हुन पुग्दछन् ।त्यसैले अहिले को आवश्कता त अझ केही समय भद्रगोल हुन दिने, अझ ध्रुवीकरण (polarization) हुन दिने ता कि यो वेथिती मन्थन भएर देव गण र दानव गण सुस्पश्ट रुपमा ध्रुवीक्रीत होउन ।यो ध्रुवीकरण, मन्थनको प्रक्रिया नै यस्तो छ कि प्रभो यो शुरु भएर उच्च वेग (momentum) धारण नगरे सम्म सकल नर नारी यसमा समाहित हुन चाँहदैनन्, यो प्रक्रिया ले उच्च वेग धारण नगरे सम्म त यस्तो कार्य उल्टो 'अवसरबाद' कहलिन्छ । र, यो सन्यासी का चक्षुले त ठिक अहिले को अवस्था मा ध्रुवीकरण, मन्थनको प्रक्रिया ले वल्ल सीमित वेग धारण गर्न लागे जस्तो मान्दछन् ।तत्पश्चात हाम्रो तपस्याका प्रतापले परम भोले बाबा भगवान शिवजीले रौद्र रुप धारण गरिकन त्रि-नेत्र प्रहार गरि दिनु हुनेछ, सारा दानव गणको विनाश गरि दिनु हुनेछ र सकल मानव, चराचर लोक जगत चिर काल सम्म आनन्दपुर्वक वाँच्ने छन् । अहिले लाई उपयुक्त कार्य त हामी समस्त सन्यासी, प्रवासी, मुगलान बासी हरुले माता पार्वती सति देवीको पूजा, अर्चना, तपस्या गरिकन माताले दिएको श्राप फिर्ता गर्नको लागि र यो देव - दानवगणको ध्रुविकरण, समुद्र मन्थन को तीव्रीकरण को याचना गर्नु नै होला । स्वामी महाराजको गुरु आज्ञा शिरोपर ।

जय भोले नाथ, पशुपति, कैलाशपति की
माडम्, गुल्ट्याम्, (Keep rolling...)